What is the purpose of electroanatomic mapping in EP?

• A. To create a 3D anatomical and activation map that localizes arrhythmia circuits and guides precise ablation
• B. To measure blood flow
• C. To assess valve function
• D. To determine heart rate

Answer: (A)

Electroanatomic mapping fuses the heart’s anatomy with its electrical activity to pinpoint where arrhythmias originate and how they propagate. By guiding a mapping catheter through the chamber, the system builds a three-dimensional model and records local activation times and voltages. This creates color-coded maps that show scar tissue and slow conduction, revealing the circuitry of reentrant circuits or focal triggers. With this spatial and temporal information, you can target ablation precisely to interrupt the abnormal pathway and achieve durable suppression of the arrhythmia. This purpose is distinct from measuring blood flow, assessing valve function, or simply determining heart rate, which are done with other imaging or monitoring techniques.